TTC with PCOS | Mumsnet

Mangotango39 · 07/05/2023 00:47

That is very stressful.
Have you spoken to your doctor ?
Would be useful to test your progesterone to see if your ovulating.

I have PCOS and peak CD20 so quite late really (longer cycles)

Could be time to discuss some PCOS medication such as metformin if you have not tried this?

UndercoverCop · 07/05/2023 00:55

Can I ask how overweight you are? I also have PCOS and my chuckles were like yours. Doctor kept saying you have to lose weight and trust me I know it's bloody difficult. In the end I just did it, low carb low fat low sugar no more than 1200 calories a day, gym 4 times a week minimum and a proper out of breath, red face and sweaty work out. I lost five stone. My cycles moved gradually to about every 35 days and I conceived quickly after coming off the pill. I did get gestational diabetes, and I did put a lot of weight on in pregnancy when I couldn't be so restrictive.
As of last summer I'm back in the regime and 4 stone lighter.
I'm not going to lie and tell you it's ok it's not as bad as you think etc. It's bloody hard and bleak sticking to it so much. What I would say is once I had dropped the weight before and was maintaining, while my cycle was regulating and before I was ready to come off the pill, I could eat around 1500 calories, 3 gym sessions and have a cheat meal a couple of times a month , the odd ice cream etc and it was fine.

UndercoverCop · 07/05/2023 00:55

Cycles not chuckles!

MK85 · 07/05/2023 00:56

I would avoid Maca completely. It's not recommended for women with pcos. I learned the hard way. It completely ballsed up my periods.
I was told don't mess with herbs , they are very potent and don't take herbs after reading about them on some sites written by people who have absolutely no medical or scientific background. Studies have since shown maca has the ability to increase androgens which is testosterone , you don't want this with pcos since they are already elevated.
I was like you , 1 to 2 periods a year and bled for weeks at a time or else I would have super scanty periods that I didn't even need a tampon.
I've been dealing with pcos my entire like and I'm now 37. Been trying almost 18 years. I was put on metformin and it didn't help. Get yourself on myo inositol. Ive found the brand really matters. Avoid d chiro despite what google will tell you as studies have since shown it can interfere with egg quality. Its highly recommended and even suggested by medical professionals. Its a b vitamin and its been a miracle for me . It made my cycles much more regular and I started actually ovulating on my own. I had never ovulated before in my life. We got pregnant the second month after starting myo inositol after 18 years of nothing. ( ended in a loss) . I also found the weight has dropped right off. I lost over a stone 7 pounds since taking myo. Get your gp to refer you since its been over 3 years. Your very young so the good news is its very likely just about finding a treatment that will work for you. I was prescribed clomid to boost my egg production , it's a ovulation induction medication and i just completed my first month. Depending on what your weight is , some clinics do have a bmi limit of offering and treatment.

HeathenPlayingHouse · 07/05/2023 01:07

I second the recommendation for Myo-inositol, I buy the Nova brand from Amazon. We conceived DS after 4years TTC after I was taking it for 6 weeks, amongst other things. It's one of the top rated supplements for PCOS.

Original poster

paigehl2000 · 08/05/2023 20:31

Yea, I have tried the metformin but as I’m not insulin resistant it hasn’t changed anything xx

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paigehl2000 · 08/05/2023 20:32

This gives me hope! Thank you, I’ve started slimming world last week and have lost 4Ibs already and plan to keep going xx

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paigehl2000 · 08/05/2023 20:35

I appreciate the advise, I have spoken to my doctor and gynaecologist who have both said that macca is fine to take as my testosterone is fine, I had a blood test last week and my vitamin b12 levels and folate are low so going to be starting supplements soon. I’ve tried myo inisitol before but couldn’t take the tablets as they were big and I struggled at the time but I’m getting better so will try again xx

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NoIncomeTaxNoVAT · 08/05/2023 20:35

If you have been trying for 3 years, have you been to talk to your GP? I also have PCOS and i ended up needing to go down the fertility clinic route. We did 3 rounds of a drug called letrozole on the NHS and it resulted in DD1. About to go for DC #2 - just getting a few last kg off before starting treatment in July. It took about 6months from being referred by the GP, having all the tests, getting the appointment etc so you can try other things in the meantime but at least you'll have the referral underway for it you need it.

Original poster

paigehl2000 · 08/05/2023 20:43

Yea I’ve been to my gp and am waiting for fertility appointment, but I am over weight so trying to get that down too xx

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FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 08/05/2023 20:51

I have insulin resistant PCOS and it took 3 yrs TTC to have DD. Honestly weight loss was what regulated my cycles.

I was about 18st when I started, once I'd lost 10% of my body weight my periods really started to regulate.

Carb reduction (not complete elimination) was the only thing that helped me to lose weight. I used MyFitnessPal to track what I was eating, started on about 1800 calories a day made up mostly of protein, fat and green veg. White bread, pasta, potatoes and oats had to go they all spiked my blood sugars and made me crave more food.

SheBuilds · 08/05/2023 21:59

If you struggled with the inositol pills, try the powder version. Mixed with water, squash or tea/coffee - it has a slightly sweet taste but you barely notice it.

Original poster

paigehl2000 · 08/05/2023 22:54

Thank you! Do you know the best brand or anything? Xx

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SheBuilds · 08/05/2023 22:59

I’m using the brand Bulk, because it was reasonably priced and a well known company.. but I only started it last month so can’t tell if it’s a good one or not.

Sunnybunnyx · 08/05/2023 23:47

I've been in groups and have seen women taking maca powders actually experience worsening symptoms of pcos. It's bizarre that your doctor said its fine. I've never met a doctor who has encouraged me to take herbs. I assume their knowledge on maca Is lacking since most doctors aren't knowledgeable with herbs. It's something I would expect from a herbalist not a gp or gynaecologist. I personally think your wrong to go messing with maca. You'll screw yourself up . There's not enough clinical trials on maca to prove it's claims so therfore why would you take it. Who recommended it to you? Like other posters I vote for myo

Original poster

paigehl2000 · 09/05/2023 00:08

Thank you!

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paigehl2000 · 09/05/2023 00:12

Hey I had a friend who had been trying for 4 years and she started it and she managed to have A healthy pregnancy which is what made me ask. It’s full of iron, calcium, vitamins and minerals and have been told it is good for both men and women even those not trying to conceive, and they didn’t say it was okay until after they checked my blood levels, they were okay PCOS wise so they said it’s fine, if things get worse I just stop taking them x

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HeathenPlayingHouse · 09/05/2023 12:01

I've tried the inositol powder (again from Amazon) and it's good if you struggle with the tablets- they are kinda like horse pills!

This brand is what I used- £19.99 and it lasted me for almost 3 months.

Mushroo · 09/05/2023 12:08

Another one recommending inositol. My periods were haywire but I’m currently 6 weeks pregnant after only 3 months of trying (and one of those months wasn’t properly trying). I just bought a massive bag of MyProtein.

Other things that helped:

making sure I got my steps in and lifting weights
cut down on HIIT
maintain a healthy weight
i did seed cycling the month I conceived. Could have been a coincidence but tbh the seeds were quite nice so no harm.
took vitamin d, vitamin c and zinc.

Mushroo · 09/05/2023 12:09

*from MyProtein

SomeEnchantedEvening18 · 09/05/2023 13:12

I started TTC in 2019 and was diagnosed with PCOS in 2020 after talking to my GP due to very irregular cycles. I was referred to the fertility clinic and scrimped and saved to get a PT and lost nearly 3 stone over about a year and my periods became a bit more regular. This was alongside calorie counting and using my fitness pal to track food intake.

I then had an HSG procedure in 2021 and got pregnant naturally the next month and now have my DS. I had read that having an HSG done can increase chance of pregnancy in some cases.

Also, since giving birth my periods returned and have been regular as clockwork which I wasn't expecting.

MK85 · 09/05/2023 16:16

@SomeEnchantedEvening18 same as that. Got pregnant the cycle following the hsg after nearly 18 years trying but lost it. Now I'm struggling to get pregnant again 😩

Bellabeemarie · 09/05/2023 16:17

I have pcos and I bought myo insitol also but couldnt take them because of the size of the pill, I saw someone comment a week ago saying she cuts the tip of the Capsule and mixes it with juice and drinks it that way 😁 cd14 waiting for ov over the nx few days as I got my peak opk today and hopefully confirm it with bbt over the NX day or two, if no bfp this cycle I'll be starting to take them from cd1 x

Original poster

paigehl2000 · 11/05/2023 20:30

paigehl2000 · 06/05/2023 20:36

Hey! I'm 22 and have been TTC for 3 years this June, I have PCOS and my periods used to be 1 time a year at most and would last 2/3 weeks, the last year or so they've been around every 3 months for 3 days.

I am eating healthier, me and my partner have started taking macaroot and I have been doing LH tests, but not sure about a lot of things haha. Any tips? My PCOS really only makes weight loss difficult and irregular cycles ect.

Just to let you all know my period started yesterday, 1 week after I started taking them!

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